Key action



g- 1929- o. u. DESHA KEY ACTION FOR TYPEWRITERS AND OTHER MACHINES Filed Ja n. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 6, 1929.

. O. U. DESHA KEY ACTION FOR TYPEWRITERS AND OTHER MACHINES Filed Jan. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

warren srarss Emmi QRVILLE 'ULDESHA, OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, ASSIGIIOB OF ONE-FIFTI-I TO THE DESI-IA .TYPELEX TRUST ESTATE, OF FGRT COLLINS, COLOR-A330.

KEY ACTION FOR TYIPEV/BIITERS AND OTHER- MACHINES.

Application filed January 27, 1928. Serial No. 249,876.

In regard to certain more specific features thereof, my invention relates to improvements in the associated, and coacting parts of a key mechanism of a machine whose actuating means operatively connecting the type bar and key lever move the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever; said mechanism embodying coacting means reversely breaking the said connection after the printing impact of the type bar for the return of the type bar to its normal position while the key lever is in depressed position; and also including coactg means for restoring said connection to normal operative position upon release of the key lever; this broad object being/the subject matter of an application filed by me on November th, 1928, Serial N 0. 372,87 1, upon which Patent 1,6 l3,203 issued Sept.

20, 1927,.as acontradistinction'between pre-.

vious devices comprising a detachable connection or gap at some point between the key lever and'type bar after the latter has been given the movement necessary to effect the printing and before the key lever has completed its cycle of movement.

Among the objects of; the present invention, the applicant has endeavored: First,

to improve the connection between the key.

lever and type bar which will provide,

amongother features, a key action which will be eflicient in use, rapid and reliable in operation, and .which shall have a light touch for operating the type bars, and re duce the liability of the type to collide or pile whenoperated at high speed. Second. To provide a key .mechanism of the above character having few parts simple in construction which will be cheap to. manuei facture, convenientand easy to arrange and assemble compactly, and construct key.

mechanism. as to be but little likely to get out of order in usual operation.

The applicant also endeavors to point out a clear distinction between. this and his copending applications Serial .No. 55,227 filed September 8,. 1925 and Serial Nos. 178,083, 178,084, 178.085, 178986, 178.087, 178,088 and 17 8 ,089 filed March 24,1927.

My invention, accordingly, consists in certain combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts, that may readily be incorporated in certain typewriting machine with only .ight medi fication of the structural features of said machines as they now exist exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth which will be more readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying two sheets of drawings and the following specification, 6 the scope of the invention being indicated in the appending claims.

My invention is especially applicable to the usual hand operating machine, as distinguished from a motor driven machine, and is shown in the present case embodied in a machine similar to the Underwood standard typewriter. vIt should be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to use in a machine of this type, but may be employed wherever found available. i

The applicant has endeavored to disclose anddescribe the construction of the mechanism and manner of its operation and its use in language comprehensible to those versed or skilled in the art who would make or use the device suflicient to satisfy the requisites of this application without enumerating every obvious object and advantage or pointing out all the difiiculties and troubles which are cured or ameliorated by his improvement over the present state of the art. Fig. I is a sectional elevation of a typewriting machine taken longitudinally S5 and about centrally thereof, constructed in accordancewith my invention and showing elements of one key action only in normal position, and also showing so much of the usual mechanism as is necessary to illus trate how my invention may be embodied in such. machine. Fig. II, represents a view of the key mechanism similar to Fig. I, the key lever being shown depressed and re sponding the type bar. .Fig. III, a key mechanism similar to Fig. I, the key lever being shown in a depressed position and the type bar responded to printing position. Fig. IV is also a key mechanism similar to Fig. I, the key lever being shown in a depressed position-and the type bar returned to its initial position. In this manner the key lever may be held down to its limit of movement and the type bar will complete its path of travel to effect the printing and move out of engagement with the platen and complete its cycle of movement regardles cit "whether or not the key hr r- .is re drawings, elements of the complete machine already known to the art constituting no part of the present invention and statements of mere obvious facts are omitted.

In the accompanying drawings similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and in order to iicilitate observance of a clear distinction between this and copending applications, the reference characters also indicate, as far as practical, the corresponding parts in the several views of my copending applications referred to above. In the embodiment in Fig. I, more in detail, in which one form of type action is shown as applied to a typewriting machine to which it is particularly adapted, 1 indicates the typewriter frame l indicating the front and 1 the rear.

5 indicates a common platen mounted as usual to travel longitudinally across the rear upper portion of the machine upon a carriage mechanism. As the carriage mecha nism forms no part of the present invention, specific disclosure and description thereof is omitted as its broad function is well known. 6 indicates one of a series of type bars being radially arranged in a curved row about the same center and are movable about their fulcrum pivot rod 9 on a type bar segment 10, Fig. I, from a hori zontal or forwardly extending radial position E as the type 7 forms are G and is brought against the front face of the platen 5 to a common printing point A, to an upright radial position F; the type 7 printing by impact in contradistinct-ion to pressure. Each type hammer 7 is provided with two printing characters 7 and 7" subject to a shift mechanism determining their printing contact at printing point A. However, as the shift mechanism forms no part of the present invention except in so far. as it may be operated by the shift keys in the usual manner it is thought that a specific disclosure and description thereof may be omitted as its broad function is well known. 12 indicates one of a series of key levers carrying at the front end finger key 13, the rear end pivoted at 14 to bar is in the rear of the machine, and is kept normally in its elevated position by the usual spring 15 supported by bar 15 at normal rest of key lever bearing against the underside of stop bar 15 above the key lever 12, key lever 12 is formed with angles 16 and 16 arranged to provide a rear upward angle space 16 for pivot rod'19 and its supporting bar 20, and provides a lower forward angular space 16 in which pivotal connection 24 of a trip link coupling operates, hereinafter described.

17" indicates a key lever arrester adjustable by a screw 17 carried by a fixed bar 17 beneath the key lever and said fixed bar,

17 is adapted to support a series of return springs 27, hereinafter described.

18 indicates one of a series of vibratory levers vertically disposed and corresponding in number with the type bars 6 and key levers 12. Lower ends of the vibratory levers 18 are pivoted at 19 supported by a bar 20 extending across the machine within the upper rear angle space 16" of said hey lever. Means operatively connecting the type bar and vibratory lever may be that of any well known in the art but preferably the usual pin and slot connection 8 and 8 at the heel of the rear end of the type bar and upper end of the vibratory lever.

The key lever 12 is described as having two incidents of operation before completing its operative cycle, namely; the incident of depression and the incident of release. The incident of depression is disclosed by the movement of the key lever 12 from radius B to radius C, and the incident of release is disclosed by the movement of the key lever 12 back from radius C to radius B. The type bar 6 is described as having two incidents of operation, before completing its operative cycle, namely; incident of response and incident of recoil. The incident of response of the type bar 6 is disclosed by the movement of the type bar from its initial rest radius E to printing point A, at radius F, forming-arc G from pivot 9. The incident of recoil of type bar G is disclosed by its movement from the printing point A back to normal rest E thereby completing its operative cycle. These incidents of oper ation are, of course, common in nonreversely breaking type key actions in so far as the incident of response, E to A, of the type bar 6 occurs simultaneously with the incident of depression, 13 to C, of key lever 12, and the incident of recoil, A to E, of the type bar occurs simultaneously with the incident of release, C to B, of the key lever. In other words, the operative cycle of the type bar and that of the key lever are simultaneous in a nonreversely breaking connection, but the broad function inherent to the present key action relative to the correlation of incidents of operation of the key lever with.

that of the type bar is in providing the op erative expedient by which both the incident of response, E to A, of the type bar and the incident of recoil, A to E, occur during the'one incident of depression, B to C, of the key lever, the type bar completing its operative cycle while the operative cycle of the key lever is only half complete. This operative expedient is 'accomplished in this case by a trip link coupling downward thrust link 23.

comprising a forward draw link 22 and The rear end of the forward draw link 22 operatively connects the vibratory lever 18 at pivot intermediately the ends of said vibratory lever, said draw link 22 extending forwardly operating in a plane above the key lever, thence curviformed downwardl extending across the key lever and beneat the latter, the forward end of said draw link 22 being pivotedly connected at 24 to the lower end of the thrust link 23 beneath the key lever 12. The upper end of the thrust link 23 is pivoted at 26 to the key lever intermediately the ends of the latter. The underside of the key lever forwardly of pivotal connection 26 of said coupling provides a normal seat rest for the pivotal connection 2% of said coupling, the pivot head 24 communicating with the underside of the key lever holds the tension of return spring 27 intact during normal position of the parts,'thereby operatively interlocking the draw link 23 with the key lever.

28 is an actuating lever vertically disposed pivoted at 29 intermediately of its ends to the key lever 12 also pivoted intermediately the ends of the latter. The upper end of the vertically disposed actuating lever is operatively connected at by .a pin and slot, or loose connection intermediately the ends of the draw link. I This loose connec tion is conductive to easy operation, and eliminates binding of the parts. Lower end of the vertically disposed actuating lever eX- tends below the key lever and is connected at 27 to the rear end of return spring 27. It is necessary that draw link 22 be of such length and of such form as to permit the pivotal connection 26 to oscillate between the pivotal ends 2 and 25 of said draw link in crossing and recrossing a reversely breaking line J J drawn through the pivots 25 and 26 thereby permitting the elements of said coupling 22 and 23 to be unfolded during normal position, Fig. I, and while moving the type bar 6 to printing point upon depression of the key lever; and said parts 22 and 23 toassume a folded position, Figs. III and IV, returning the type bar 6 to normal position while the key lever 12 is held depressed. The characteristic form of the draw link 22, therefore, is preferably.

convexed upwardly and is the major in length of the elements of said trip link cou pling, the draw link 23 being the minor.

The new mechanical structure, combination of parts and operation thereof are the important factors of the invention in providing the desired function of the key action. A further description of the opera tive principle, therefore, follows: Upon depression of the key lever 12 from radius B to radius C the vertically disposed. actuating lever 28 moves bodily downward with the key lever and carries with it draw link 22 rotating the latter about pivot 25, simultaneously effecting responsive Or operative tension lock of the thrust link 23. This operative tension lock of the downward thrust link 23 is also described as contractive tension lock or thrust meaning that while the key lever 12 is being depressed, the energy required to respond the type bar 6 effects contractive pressure or thrust from pivot 26 to pivot 2st instead of expansive tension or pull. Simultaneously with the contractive tension lock of the downward thrust link 23, the forward draw link 22 operates under expansive tension between its pivotal connections 24 and 25 and pulls the vibratory lever 18 radially forwardly while the key lever 12 is being depressed from radius B to radius 0 to respond the type bar 6 from radius E to printing point A. A further description of the key action follows: Dotted line M M indicates the correlative relationship of the elements of the trip link coupling during the process of operation, namely; Dotted line M M, Fig. I, shows where the normal position of the lower border pivotal connection 24L eonnect ing the draw link 22 and thrust link 23 is above a reversely breaking line J J drawn through the pivotal connection 25 and 26, and pivotal connection 26 connecting the thrust link 23 to the key lever being outside of the lower concave area of said draw link. This position operatively locks the elen'ients 22 and 23 of said coupling effecting response of the type bar 6 during depression of the key lever 12. Dotted line ii M, Fig. 11, shows where the lower border pivotal conneetion 2% has moved downwardly across and below the reversely breaking line 5 J drawn through pivotal connection and 26, assuming this position about the time the type bar 6 responds to about one-half of its incident of response as shown in Fig. II, the

momentum thereof completes the response or impact of the type bar at printing point A shown in Fig. 111. At this point it will be seen that the intermediate pivotal connection 26 is within the downward concavity of the draw link Dotted line M M, Fig. III, shows where the lower border pivotal connection 2% connecting the thrust link and draw link remains within the lower for aid angular space of said key lever and below the reversely breaking line J J drawn through pivotal connections 25 and 26 of the elements of said coupling and momen tum having carried the type bar 6 to printing point A, the intermediate connection 26 connecting the thrust link to the key lever remaining within the concavity of said draw link. Dotted line M M, Fig. TV, shows where the lower border pivotal connection 24; connecting the thrust link and draw link has moved further below the reversely breaking 'pling; operatively co line J J drawn through the backward border pivotal connection 20 and the interior pivotal connection 26 and arrested within the lower forward angular space of the key lever, recoiling the type bar while the key lever remains in depressed position. At this point it may be seen that the draw link 22 has reached the limit of its reaction and is stopped by pivotal connection 26.

The applicant endeavors to provide a key action wherein the incident of recoil of the type bar is relatively quicker than the incident of response of said type bar in order that the type are G may be cleared asquickly as possible when several keys are being manipulated in rapid succession.

This operative expedient is accomplished by a return spring 27, rear end thereof supported at 27 by the lower end of the actuating lever 28, the forward, end of return spring being supported by the fixed bar 1, said fixed bar also" supporting the key lever arrestor 17" and 17 The energy stored in return spring 27 by de 'ircssing the key lever 12 and responding the type bar (3 in opposition to the tension of said spring turns the actuating lever 28 on pivot 29 eflecting backward thrust of the draw link between pivot and pivot 30 returning the vibratory lever and key lever to normal position thereby clearing the type are G of recoiling type relatively faster than said are may be filled by responding type.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a simple and practical type action which will be rapid and efiicient in use, accomplishing, among others, all of the objects and advantages above set forth, therefore the operation and method of use of a type action of this cha 'acter is believed to be perfectly clear from the above description, a reiteration thercol is believed to be unnecessary. As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, and variations may be resorted towithin the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a key action for a typcwriting machine, a type bar, a key lever, means operatively coi'inecting the type bar and-key lever comprising a vibratory lever vertically disposed and pivoted at its lower end and its upper end operatively connecting the key lever, a reversely break g actufi ng con res-ta ty" lever and key lever moving the typebar to n'inting point upon depression of the key lever, a vertically disposed actuating lever operatively connecting the key lever and reversely breaking the actuating coupling af ter printing impact of the type bar for returning the vibratory lever and type bar to normal operative position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

2. In a typewriting machine, a type bar, a key lever, means operatively connecting the type bar and key lever comprising a vibratory lever arranged to actuate the type l ar, a reversel y breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the vibratory lever and key lever intermediately the end of the latter elements, a vertically disposed actuatin g lever carried by the key lever and controlling the action of said coupling moving the type bar to printing point upon depres sion oi the key lever and reversely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar for returning the vibratory lever and type bar to normal operative position while the key lever is in depressed position, said actuating lever also restoring said coupling to normal. operative position upon release of the key lever.

3. In a key action and mechanism, a type bar, a key lever, a vibratory lever operatively connecting the type bar, a forward draw link operatively connecting the vibratory lever, a downward thrust link operatively connecting the key lever and draw link said draw link and thrust link constituting a reversely breaking actuating coupling moving the vibratory lever forwardly responding the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, a vertically disposed actuating lever operatively connecting the key lever and draw link diverting the movement of said draw link downwardly and rotating the thrust link backwardly reverscly breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar for returning the vibratory lever and type bar to normal operative position while the key lever is in depressed position, said actuating lever also restoring said drznv link and thrust link to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

4L. Ina mechanical movement for a typewriter key, a type bar, a key lever, means operatively connecting the type bar and key lever comprising a vibratory lever, a forward draw link and a downward thrust link providing the elements of a reversely breaking actuating coupling between the key lever and vibratory lever, a backward border pivot connecting the rear end of the draw link to the vibratory levers intermediately the ends of the latter, inte n ate pivot ,n'ineeting the upward't thrust link on a reversely breaking line drawn through saidborder and 1ntermed1ate pivots, a lower border pivot operatively con type bar'to the printing point upon depres sion of the key lever, means actuating said lower border pivots downwardly away from the key lever across and below the reversely breaking line drawn through said first named pivots out of interlocked position. reversely breaking said coupling after printing impact of the type bar returning the vibratory lever and type bar to normal operative position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said lower border pivot to its normal interlocked position above said reversely breaking line upon release of the key lever.

5. In a key mechanism and action for a typewriting machine, a type bar, a key lever biangular intermediately of its ends comprising a rear upward angular space and a lower forward angular space, a vibratory lever pivotedly supported by a bar 9Xt011(; i ng across the machine within the rear upward angular space of said key lever, a revcrsely breal ug' actuating coupling comprising a forward draw link and a down- .vard thrust link operatively connecting the vibrating lever and key leve a vertically disposed actuating lever carried by the key lever, a return spring connected to the vertically disposed actuating lover, a lower border pivot beneath the keylever connecting the draw link and thrust link said pivotal connection operating within the lower forward angular space of said key lever, a seat rest provided by the underside of the key lever for the pivotal connection of said draw link and thrust link connnunieating with the underside of the key lever holding the tension of said return spring intact during normal position of the parts moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key lever, whereby reversely breaking said coupling and simultaneously returning the vibratory lever and type barto normal position while key lever is held depressed.

(3. in a type key action and mechanism. a key lever, a downward thrust link operatively connected to the key lever, a vibratory lever pivoted at its lower end, a type bar operatix ely connected to said vibratory lever moving to printing point upon depression of the key lever, a forward draw link operatively connecting the vibratory lever inter-.

mediately the ends of the latter and extending forwardly in a plane above the key lever and curiformed and convened upwardly the forward end extending (km'nwardly across the key lever and pivotedly connected beneath the key lever to the lower end of the downward thrust link, a vertically disposed actuating lever carried by the key lever intermediately the ends of the latter controlling the action of said draw link and thrust link reversely breaking said draw link and thrust link after printin impact of the type bar for returning the vibratory lever and type bar to normal operative position while the key lever is in depressed position, means restoring said draw link to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

7. In a typewriting machine, a type bar, a key lever, means operatively connecting the type bar and key lever comprising a vibratory lever, a reversely breaking actuating coupling operatively connecting the vibrtory lever and key lever comprising a downward thrust link, the upper end thereof pivotedly connected to the key lever and the lower end extending beneath said key lever, a forward draw link, the rear end thereof operatively connected to the vibratory lever and the forward end pivotedly connecting the lower end of said thrust link beneath said key lever, said draw link and thrust link being relatively major and minor in length said major element being a forward draw link curiformed upwardly and said minor element being a downward thrust link carried by the key lever operatively interlocking therewith moving the type bar to printing point upon depression of the key le 'er, means moving said thrust link downwardly and baclovandly out of interlocked position reversely breaking said coupling after the printing impact of the type bar for returning the vibratory lever and type bar to normal operative position while the key lever is in depressed position, and restoring said thrust link to normal interlocked posi tion against the underside of the key lever upon release'of the latter.

8. In a type key action, a type bar, a key lever, means opcratively connecting the type bar and key lever comprising a vibratory lever pivoted at its lower end and its upper end operatively connecting the type bar, a reversely breaking actuating connection operatively connecting the vibratory lever and key lever comprising a forward draw link and a downward thrust link operatively interlocked for moving the type bar to the printing point upon depression of the key lever, a vertically disposed actuating lever pivoted intermediately of its ends to the key lever also intermediately of the ends of the latter and the upper end of the vertically disposed actuating lever operatively connecting by pin and slot interniediately the ends of the draw link diverting the movement of said draw link downwardly thereby rotating the thrust link downward and backwardly and in turn moving the vibratory lever forwardly responding the type to printing point upon depression of the key lever and a further diversion of the movement of said draw link downwardly further rotating the thrust link downwardly and backwardly reversely breaking said elements after printing impact of the type bar.

9. In a key action and mechanism, a type bar, a key lever, a key lever arrestor adjustable by a screw carried by a fixed bar arranged beneath the key lever in the front of the machine and communicating with the key lever limiting the downward movement of the latter before the type bar has completed its incident of response; means operatively connecting the type bar and key lever connprising a vibratory lever operatively connecting the draw link and type bar, means operatively connecting the vibratory lever and'key lever comprising a forward draw link and a downward thrust link moving the type bar to printing point upon depression. of the key lever, a vertically disposed actuating lever carried by the key leverand draw link controlling the movement 01" the latter, a return spring with its rear end supported by the lower end of the actuating lever and its forward end supported by the key lever arrestor support, said spring effecting backward tension of the vertically disposed actuating lever and in turn effecting backward thrust oi the draw link rearwardly of said pin and slot connection returning the vibratory lever and key lever to normal operative position relatively faster than the incident of response said spring actuating said actuating lever diverting the movement of said draw link and thrust link upwardly and forwardly restoring said coupling to normal operative position upon release of the key lever.

Signed at Fort Collins, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, this 24 day of Jan, A. D. 1928.

ORVILLE U. DESI-IA. 

